65th INFANTRY DIVISION
The 65th Infantry Division shoulder patch is a white halbert on a blue shield. The halbert, a sharp pointed battle-ax, was a potent weapon of the 15th Century foot soldier, being suitable either for a powerful cutting smash or a quick thrust. It was selected by Major General S. E. Reinhart, Commanding General of the 65th, as an emblem that would signify both the shock action and the speed of the modern infantry division.
[page 196]
COMMAND AND STAFF
Commanding General
| 21 January 1945 | Maj. Gen. Stanley E. Reinhart |
Assistant Division Commander
| 21 January 1945 | Brig. Gen. John E. Copeland |
Artillery Commander
| 21 January 1945 | Brig. Gen. Ronald C. Brock |
Chief of Staff
| 21 January 1945 | Col. William J. Epes |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-1
| 21 January 1945 | Lt. Col. David H. Arp |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-2
| 21 January 1945 | Lt. Col. James N. Robertson |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-3
| 21 January 1945 | Lt. Col. George T. Duncan |
Assistant Chief of Staff G-4
| 21 January 1945 | Lt. Col. Joseph S. Hardin |
Adjutant General
| 21 January 1945 | Lt. Col. Burnett J. Brown |
Commanding Officer, 259th Infantry
| 21 January 1945 | Col. Louis B. Rutte |
| 23 April 1945 | Col. Julian H. George |
Commanding Officer, 260th Infantry
| 21 January 1945 | Col. Frank Dunkley |
Commanding Officer, 261st Infantry
| 21 January 1945 | Col. William E. Carraway |
[page 197]
STATISTICS
Chronology
| Activated | 16 August 1943 |
| Arrived ETO | 21 January 1945 |
| Arrived Continent (D+234) | 26 January 1945 |
| Entered Combat | 9 March 1945 |
| Days in Combat | 55 |
Casualties (Tentative)
| Killed | 186 |
| Wounded | 757 |
| Missing | 99 |
| Captured | 10 |
| Battle Casualties | 1,052 |
| Non-Battle Casualties | 1,250 |
| Total Casualties | 2,302 |
| Percent of T/O Strength | 16.3 |
Campaigns
Rhineland
Central Europe
Individual Awards
| Legion of Merit | 11 |
| Silver Star | 67 |
| Soldiers Medal | 4 |
| Bronze Star | 690 |
| Air Medal | 19 |
Prisoners of War Taken
COMPOSITION
259th Infantry
260th Infantry
261st Infantry
65th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
265th Engineer Combat Battalion
365th Medical Battalion
65th Division Artillery
867th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
868th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
869th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer)
720th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer)
Special Troops
765th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
65th Quartermaster Company
565th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Band
[page 198]
ATTACHMENTS
Antiaircraft Artillery
| 546th AAA AW Bn (Mbl) | 4 Mar 45-still attached 9 May 45 |
Armored
| Co C, 778th Tk Bn | 7 Mar 45-11 Mar 45 |
| Co C, 748th Tk Bn | 13 mar 45-21 Mar 45 |
| 749th Tk Bn | 29 Mar 45-6 Apr 45 |
| 707th Tk Bn | 6 Apr 45 |
| 748th Tk Bn | 7 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45 |
Cavalry
| 3d Cav Gp | 19 Mar 45-21 Mar 45 |
Chemical
| Co A, 81st Cml Mort Bn | 7 Mar 45-11 Mar 45 |
| Co C, 81st Cml Mort Bn | 27 Mar 45-4 Apr 45 |
| Co A, 93d Cml Mort Bn | 4 Apr 45-16 Apr 45 |
| Co C, 81st Cml Mort Bn | 20 Apr 45-25 Apr 45 |
| 94th Cml Mort Bn | 25 Apr 45-29 Apr 45 |
| Co A, 94th Cml Mort Bn | 1 May 45-still attached 9 May 45 |
Engineer
| 1258th Engr C Bn | 7 Mar 45-16 Mar 45 |
Field Artillery
| 176th FA Bn (4.5" Gun) | 11 Mar 45-14 Mar 45 |
| 744th FA Bn (8" How) | 11 Mar 45-14 Mar 45 |
| …Btry C, 243d FA Bn (8" Gun) | 11 Mar 45-14 Mar 45 |
Tank Destroyer
| 691st TD Bn (T) | 4 Mar 45-6 Apr 45 |
| 808th TD Bn (SP) | 5 Apr 45-still attached 9 May 45 |
[page 199]
DETACHMENTS
(Attached to)
Infantry
| 261st CT | 11th Armd Div | 28 Mar 45-29 Mar 45 |
| 261st CT | 6th Armd Div | 29 Mar 45-4 Apr 45 |
| …869th FA Bn | 6th Armd Div | 29 Mar 45-4 Apr 45 |
| …65th Rcn Tr | 6th Armd Div | 29 Mar 45-4 Apr 45 |
| …1 plat Co C, 265th Engr C Bn | 6th Armd Div | 29 Mar 45-4 Apr 45 |
[page 199]
ASSIGNMENT AND ATTACHMENT TO HIGHER UNITS
| DATE | CORPS | ARMY | ARMY GROUP | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assigned | Attached | Assigned | Attached | ||
| 3 Jan 45 | UK Base | ETOUSA | |||
| 18 Jan 45 | (-) | 12th | |||
| 25 Jan 45 | Fifteenth | 12th | |||
| 1 Mar 45 | XX | Third | 12th | ||
| 4 Apr 45 | VIII | Third | 12th | ||
| 17 Apr 45 | XX | Third | 12th | ||
(-) Indicates relieved from assignment.
[page 200]
COMMAND POSTS
| DATE | TOWN | REGION | COUNTRY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jan 45 | Le Havre | Seine-Inferieure | France |
| 22 Jan 45 | Camp Luck Strike (vic. St-Valery-en-Caux) | Seine-Inferieure | France |
| 3 Mar 45 | Ennery | Moselle | France |
| 7 Mar 45 | Boulay-Moselle | Moselle | France |
| 17 Mar 45 | Villing | Moselle | France |
| 20 Mar 45 | Saarlautern | Saarland | Germany |
| 20 Mar 45 | Reisweiler | Saarland | Germany |
| 21 Mar 45 | Neunkirchen | Saarland | Germany |
| 27 Mar 45 | Rockenhausen | Pfalz | Germany |
| 28 Mar 45 | Schwabenheim | Hessen | Germany |
| 31 Mar 45 | Laubach | Hessen-Nassau | Germany |
| 1 Apr 45 | Hattenbach | Hessen-Nassau | Germany |
| 2 Apr 45 | Ersrode | Hessen-Nassau | Germany |
| 3 Apr 45 | Berneberg | Kurhessen | Germany |
| 5 Apr 45 | Treffurt | Thuringia | Germany |
| 9 Apr 45 | Berka | Thuringia | Germany |
| 12 Apr 45 | Waltershausen | Bavaria | Germany |
| 14 Apr 45 | Arnstadt | Bavaria | Germany |
| 17 Apr 45 | Breitengussbach | Bavaria | Germany |
| 20 Apr 45 | Altdorf | Bavaria | Germany |
| 23 Apr 45 | Velburg | Bavaria | Germany |
| 24 Apr 45 | Deuerling | Bavaria | Germany |
| 27 Apr 45 | Regensburg | Bavaria | Germany |
| 1 May 45 | Platting | Bavaria | Germany |
| 2 May 45 | Furstenzell | Bavaria | Germany |
| 3 May 45 | Neuhaus | Bavaria | Germany |
| 4 May 45 | Scharding | Ober-Oesterreich | Austria |
| 4 May 45 | Raab | Ober-Oesterreich | Austria |
| 5 May 45 | Linz | Ober-Oesterreich | Austria |
[pages 201 (through 24 Apr)-202]